RESOLUTION URGING THE FLORIDA LEGISLATURE TO EXTEND FLORIDA’S ANTI-BULLYING LAW TO PRIVATE SCHOOLS

Indexes:

LEGISLATURE

Sponsors:

Barbara J. Jordan, Prime Sponsor

Sally A. Heyman, Co-Sponsor

Sunset Provision:
No

Effective Date:

Expiration Date:

Registered Lobbyist:

None Listed

Legislative History

Acting Body

Date

Agenda Item

Action

Sent To

Due Date

Returned

Pass/Fail

Board of County Commissioners

12/6/2011

11A12

Adopted

P

County Attorney

11/21/2011

Assigned

Jess M. McCarty

11/22/2011

Legislative Text

TITLE

RESOLUTION URGING THE FLORIDA LEGISLATURE TO EXTEND FLORIDA’S ANTI-BULLYING LAW TO PRIVATE SCHOOLS

BODY

WHEREAS, during the 2008 session, the Florida Legislature passed an anti-bullying law, the Jeffrey Johnston Stand Up for All Students Act, Chapter 2008-123, Laws of Florida; and
WHEREAS, the Act was named for Jeffrey Johnston, who committed suicide in 2005 at age 15 after being victimized by a classmate’s taunts, which were posted and remained on the Internet for more than a year; and
WHEREAS, the Act prohibited bullying and harassment of any public K-12 student or employee, and required school districts to adopt policies to protect students and school employees from the physical and psychological harm of bullying and harassment; and
WHEREAS, the Act applied to public schools, and did not extend to bullying in private schools; and
WHEREAS, bullying is not solely a problem of public schools, bullying can also occur in the private schools; and
WHEREAS, last year, 11-year-old Celina Okwuone, a student at a private school in Port St. Lucie, Florida committed suicide allegedly as a result of bullying; and
WHEREAS, while many private schools, including Celina’s school, have anti-bullying policies in place that mirror the Jeffrey Johnston Act, others do not; and
WHEREAS, the Florida Legislature should extend the Jeffrey Johnston Act to private schools,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA, that this Board:
Section 1. Urges the Florida Legislature to extend Florida’s anti-bullying law to private schools.
Section 2. Directs the Clerk of the Board to transmit certified copies of the resolution to the Governor, the Senate President, the House Speaker, and the Chair and Members of the Miami-Dade State Legislative Delegation.
Section 3. Directs the County’s state lobbyists to advocate for the issue identified in Section 1 above, and authorizes and directs the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs to amend the 2012 State legislation package to include this item and include this item in the 2013 state legislative package.